Air release valve



AIR RELEASE VALVE Filed Sept. 3, 1938 INVENTOR Ed ard 5. corfnellyJr.

H -OR Y ratented Oct. 22, 1940 Ara RELEASE VALVE Edward S. Cornell, Jr., Larchmont, N. Y. Application September-3, 1938, Serial No. 228,276

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to valves, and more particularly to an improvedl air release valve. A

My present invention is capable of general ap- 5 plication as an air release valve, and is particularly adapted for use in connection with air pressure supply systems for delivering motive power to fan motors utilized in a heating system, such for example as the improved heating system described and claimed in my co-pending application,

Serial No. 171,539, filed October 28, 1937, and entitled Closed thermal system.

In systems ior supplying air under pressure as a. motive power for fan motors for heating systems there is the usual air compressor, prime mover, and storage tank for the air, and in such tank is stored air under a stated pressure which is found advantageous for use in connection with the aforesaid fan motors. 'I'he capacity of the prime mover and compressor isordinarily rated suicient to supply air at the stated pressure to all of the air motors, assuming the said air motors to be operating simultaneously.

When all of the air motors are not in operation at any one time it is desirable that means be employed for relieving the pressure in the air storage tank at a rate commensurate with the rate at which excess air is delivered to the tank from the compressor. Under ordinary circumstances it is preferable, during the season when heat is being supplied to a building or the like, to have the prime mover and air compressor in operation at all times in order that the air motors that operate the fans for circulating the heated air through the building may be ready to be put into operation at any instant and therefore some means of relieving the pressure is imperative, and some means for relieving the air to a degree in accordance with the number of air motors inoperation at any one time is desirable.

My present invention contemplates an air release valve for use in an air compressor system for operating any one or all of a plurality of air motors simultaneously and which will act to release air in excess of a stated pressure gradually and in accordance with the number of air motors out of service at any one time.

The principal feature of my invention therefore is an improved air release valve.

Another feature of my invention is an improved air release valve for relieving the air pressure in an air storage tank in accordance with the rate of feed of air thereto.

A further feature of my`invention is an improved air release valve for use in an air storage system for releasing air under pressure at a rate commensurate with the number of air motors out of service at any one time.

Other features and novel features of the construction and arrangement of` parts comprising s my device will appear as the description ofthe invention progresses. p

In the accompanying drawing Fig. l illustrates diagrammatically `a heating system for a house or other building structure in lo which the air is circulated through the heat exchange means by fan motors operated by compressed air from a central point;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of an air release valve embodying my present invention and 15 adapted for use in a system illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing the air valve in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, partlyln elevation, of the valve shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view. taken on the line l0 4 -4 of Fig. 3, and y,

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. v

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig.

l a portion of a heating system supplied with heat medium from a central point, such system comprising the feed pipe I0 leading v.from the central heating plant (not shown), the return pipe II and laterals I2, I3, I4, I5 etc., leading from the feed pipe IIJ to the return pipe I I. Each 30 of the laterals I2, I3, I4, I5, etc. hasarranged therein heat exchange devices I6, I1, I8, I9, etc. respectively, the heat, exchange devices beingy thus fed with heated medium from the feed pipe I0, and lsuch heated mediuml passes thence down- 35 Wardly into the return pipe II,r thecharacter of the heated medium being changed yby the withdrawal of heat therefrom as it passes through the heat exchange devices referred to.

For more emcient operation'of a system of this 4Q type there is associated with eachof theV heat exchange devices, I6, Il, I8,f I9, etc. an air motor `2li, 2l, 22, 23, etc., respectively. Such' air motors are connected through pipes'24 25, 25,11, etc., y

respectively, to a feed pipe 28,which is connected 45 to thegdischarge pipe 29 of ,an air storage'tank 30 where air under suitable pressureis stored and by means of whichr the air motors `20, 2l, 22, 23,

etc., are operated. v l

` In the drawing the storage tank 30 is utilized as 50 a base'for an air Acompressor 3|, connected by pipe k32 to the tank 30, a prime morenas an electric motor 33, driving the lair compressor 3| through the medium of abeltA 3,74. ,l Also `thetank 30 is supplied with a gauge 35 for indicating the u degree of pressure of the air within the tank, and with an air release valve designated generally by the reference numeral 3i and forming 'the subject matter of the present invention.

Preferably the capacity of the compressor 3| running at normal speed is capable of providing suiicient air at desired pressure to supply the air motors 2l, 2|, 22, 23, etc., simultaneously, and yet maintain the desired pressure of air within the storage tank 3l. Where one or more of the aforesaid air motors is not operated the pressure within the storage tank 3l will gradually increase, the increase in pressure per unit of time being proportional to the number of air motors out of operation during such interval of time. The air release valve of nu present invention is designed to take care of this condition and to maintain within the storage tank 30 the desired pressure of air at all times regardless of the number of air 20 motors that are out of commission simultaneously.

Such an air valve is shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, and referring to such figures there is shown a valve base 40 having a cylinder 4| formed integral therewith. A boss 42 formed on the lower end of the base 4II is internally threaded, as indicated at 43, and by means of which the base 4|l may be screwed into association with a nipple (not show-n) leading to the interior of the storage tank 30. The cylinder 4| is axially bored and lapped as indicated by the reference numeral 44 to receive as a sliding fit a piston 45.

Intermediate the upper and lower end of the cylinder 4| is provided two-rows of perforations .each row being arranged on a helix and the helices being arranged one above the other. The lowermost helix has a plurality of holes 46 and extends through an angle substantially greater than 180 about the periphery of the cylinder 4|. The second row of holes, designated by the reference numeral 41, lies in the helix above the irst row, and the irst hole of such second row is directly above the rst hole of the iirst row 46. The last hole of the second series of holes 41 is substantially larger than any of the other holes. In the actual air release valve as made, and under conditions to satisfy the demand for air in proportion to the number of air motors 20 to 23 inclusive, respectively, in operation, the diameter of the rows of the holes in the rows 45, and 41 is substantially .049 inch, with the exception of the last hole in the second row 41, and such hole is substantially .125 inch in diameter.

The cylinder 4| adjacent toits upper end is reduced in diameter as indicated by the reference numeral 48 and on such reduced end is forced a baille plate 49. Said baille plateis provided about its peripheral edge with milled oit portions 55 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The body 45 at its lower end is reduced slightly in diameter, as indicated by the reference nufmeral to receive as a sliding fit the lower open. end of a housing 52, such housing being held in position by a plurality of screws 53. 'I'he internal diameter of the housing 52 is slightly greater than the baille plate 49 and, as will be noted from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3, such baille plate 49 divides the housing 52 into substantially a lower chamber 54 and an upper chamber 55. The wall of the housing 52 is provided with an opening 55 leading from the lower chamber 54 and secured to the housing 52 and surrounding the opening 55 is an internally threaded member 51 and to which may be removably secured a muiiler 53.

The upper end of the piston 45 is enlarged, as

and arranged as above described and is in position on the air pressure tank 3l as shown in Fig. l, and that all oi.' the air motors 23, 2l, 22, 23, etc. are in operation. Under these conditions the pressure within the air pressure tank 30 will be maintained at the desired point and there will be no variation in the indication on the gauge 35. If, however, for example, one of the air motors, as the air motor 20, is shut of! the pressure of the air within the storage tank 33 will gradually rise with the result that such increase of pressure, acting on the bottom of the piston 45, will move such piston upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 and will bring the end of such piston gradually into position to connect the inside of the pressure tank 3l with the lower chamber 54 in the housing 52. The excess air therefore, in amount equal to that ordinarily consumed by the air motor 2l when in operation, will be released from the storage tank 3l. If, while the air motor is idle, the air motor 2| is also put out of commission there will be a further rise in the amount of air delivered to the pressure tank 3l and such added amount will cause a further rise upward of the piston 45 from the position shown in Fig. 2 and more and more of the holes of the rowsv46 will be exposed to permit escape of the excess air from the tank 3U and the number of holes exposed will be in proportion to the number of air motors that are put out oi commission.

The balancing weight 5l has a steadying eiIect on the movement of the piston 45 as without such weight there would be a tendency for the piston 45 to jump upon the shutting down or starting up of the air motors. The balancing weight 50 acts as a baille having equal pressure on each side thereof or substantially equal pressure. A variation in the pressure exerted on the end of the piston 45 would, if the piston were unweighted, cause a rapid movement in one or the other direction depending on whether the variation in pressure was an increase or decrease. With the weight 55, both because of its weight and because it acts as a baille, such rapid movement is damped and, therefore, there is a tendency for rapid movement to be evened out. The air under pressure escaping into the lower chamber 54 of the housing 52 will pass upwardly in the space formed by the inner wall of the housing 52 and the milled portions 50 of the banie plate 45 and therefore there will be pressure exerted on the under face of the balancing weight 53 which also helps to even out the operation of the piston 45.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved air release valve comprising a body, having means for connecting the same to a container for air under pressure, a cylinder on said body and adapted to communicate with the interior of the air container, a plurality of ports arranged in a helix extending through the walls of the cylinder, a. piston slidably mounted in the cylinder for controlling said ports and having means for limiting the downward movement thereof in said cylinder, a balancing weight carried on the upper end of the piston, a housing mounted on the body and enclosing the cylinder and balancing weight, and a baille plate mounted on said cylinder and dividing the housing into two chambers.

2. An improved air release valve comprising a body, having means for connecting the same to a container for air under pressure, a cylinder on said body and adapted to communicate with the interior of the air container, a plurality of ports arranged in a helix extending through the walls of the cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder for controlling said ports and having means for limiting the downward movement,

thereof in said cylinder, a balancing weight carried on the upper end of the piston, a housing mounted on the body and enclosing the cylinder and balancing weight, a baille plate mounted on the cylinder and dividing the housing into an exhaust chamber and a balancing chamber.

3. An improved air release valve comprising a body, having means for connecting the same to a container for air under pressure, a cylinder on said body and adapted to communicate with the interior of the air container, a plurality of ports arranged in a helix extending through the walls of the cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder for controlling said ports and having means for limiting the downward movement thereof in said cylinder, a balancing weight carried on the upper end of the piston, a housing mounted on the body and enclosing the cylinder and balancing weight, a baflie plate mounted on the cylinder and dividing the housing into an exhaust chamber and a balancing chamber, said chambers communicating with each other.

EDWARD S. CORNELL, JR. 

